Amusement device



Aug. 27, 1940. H. c. HANLr-:Y ET AL AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet lFiled June 5, 1939 INVENTORJ and Harry C. Han/ey dose/Db A. oqenberqerBY PMX, ATTORNEYs Aug. 27, 1940. H. c, HANLEY Er AL AMUSEMENT DEVICEFiled June 5, 1939 2 sheets-sheet l,2

INVENTOR ey and /7 f4. Posenberger ATTORNEYJ Harry C? Han] dose/o f @myY times insured.

Vso

Patented Aug.v 27, A1940 Harry C. Hanley, Grosse Pointe Park, and JosephA. Rosenberger, Detroit, ,Mich., assignors to NeWEra Sales MachineCompany, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan ApplicationJune.5, 1939,'Serial No. 277,532

'i7 claims. (crave-145) This invention relates to an improved amusementdevice.` This application is a continuation of our application SerialNo. 176,952, filed No-` vember 27 1937.

An-object is to. provide improved amusement or game mechanism adaptedfor the playing of, a

plurality of dierent games and which Vis adapt# able for use by one orany number of players.

Another object is to providev mechanism of this character which issimple, inexpensive, and

interesting. A meritorious feature of the invention is that theoperating parts of themechanism are power driven Abut are subject tocontrol by a player using the same.`

A further object is to provide mechanism Vof the character setiorthwhich will utilize game tokens which diif'er in kind. Dice cubes, balls,4marbles,or game tokens of a different character vor shape maybeemployed with the mechanism described. The mechanism will function tothrow or distribute tokens, whichever kind may be used.

More particularly, an improved feature coinprises a rotatable disc andassociate d walls adapted upon rotation ofthe disc to throw off ordistribute game tokens onto a table or other receiver where the resultof the throw or distribu` tion is read. The rotatable disc andassociatedl walls are of such a character that the tokens are thoroughlytumbled and mixed beforethey are thrown vor distributed onto thereceiver or table.

The yrotation of the disc' is subject to co ntrol of the playerwherebythe character of the tumbling and throw of the tokens mayV be'varied at Will.

receiver to the rotatable disc. tokens from the table to the conveyor isDelivery of the subj ect to the control of the Iplayer and such deliveryis further synchronized with the movement of the` conveyor wherebyVaccurate functioning is at all Other objects, advantages and meritoriousfea-V tures of our amusement mechanism `will more fully appear'from thefollowing description, ap-

pended'i claims, and accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Fig. l isa top bodying our invention.

plan view of mechanism em` Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly broken awayof the structure shown in Fig..'1.

Fig. 3v is a cross'sectional'view taken line'3-'3 of Fig; 2, and

' this `exit across the disc 2li toa point adjacent the wall, ltotationof the disc is counterclockwise Fig. 4 is van enlarged fragmentaryelevatio `partly in section of the token receiving end of the conveyorand the token discharge leading friction driving element I8 is carriedby the motor shaft; This driving element is supported in avertical plane-and frictionally engages for d driving a horizontally disposedfrictional element 25 which is keyed to a vertical shaft 22 as shown inFig. y2. Theupper end of this shaft 22 Yhas a rotatable disc'2l' Xedthereon for rotation therewith. The lower end of the shaft is mountedwithin abearing 26. Other suitable bearings for the shaft, such -as 28,are provided. The disc 24 is the disc upon which the game tokens aredeposited. Upon rotation of this disc the tokens are thrown off bythe'disc or distributed by it as hereinafter described.

The disc'Z has associated -with it inner and outerwalls. The inner wallis represented by a drum 30 which is here shown-as carried by the discto rotate therewith. The outer wall is represented'by an enclosure orthe like 32 which forms a part of the stationary stand. This outer wallis of' an irregular contour as shown in Fig. l but generally it'isarranged abouty the circumference of the disc24. The inner and outerwalls may be provided with cushioning covering material such as sheetrubber or the like indicated in 'Fig'. k2 as 34. The floor or top of thedisc .might be likewiseiso provided.v

'I'he outer wall is cut away as at 36 providing an exit for game tokensthrown off by the disc 24 and there is a wallr portion 38 which is hereshown as a continuation of the outer wall ritself that' extends from apoint adjacent an edge of "Zio , it vinner wall 30.1 This wall 38follows for a short 4distancefsuch as 4U the curvature of the wall 30and thenturns outwardly as at 42 to the line of thefouter wall properasshown in Fig.`l. This outer 'wall is made up of-a succession ofrelatively angul'arly arranged` sides as will appear fromiFig; 1.: jThese rsides might be said to approximatetangents to the contour oftheinner as illustrated.

Adjacent to the exit 36 from the disc is a play-v ing table. This tableis surrounded by an upright wall or enclosure 46. The table wall 46 andthe wall 32 that surrounds the disc are shown as of the same height andmay be covered with a removable glass top 48. As here shown the table orreceiver for the tokens thrown from the disc 24 is made up of aplurality of tiltably supported panels 58. Six of these panels are hereshown and each panel is journaled at its ends for tiltable movement asshown in dotted outline in Figs. 2 and 3. In Fig. 3 a panel 58 is shownas provided at each end with a pivot support 52. An arm 54 depends fromeach pivot 52 and these several arms are connected at their lower endsby a link 56, which link is adapted to be actuated by a manuallyoperable handle 58. When the handle is in the position shown in solidline in Fig. 2 the panels lie flat and form a aft table top. When thehandle is'moved to the position shown in'dotted outline in Fig. 2 theseveral panels are vtilted as shown in dotted outline position of thetwo end panels. In Fig. l the panels are in position to receive thetokens thrown4 from thevdisc 24. They are then tilted to the positionshown in the dotted outline indication of the handle to discharge suchtokens from the table for conveyance back to the rotatable disc.

Positioned belowvthe table is a hopper indicated as 68. This hopper isshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and the delivery end thereof is shown in Fig.4. It is carried by theframe. It receives the tokens discharged from thetable upon the tilting of the panels. These tokens slide down over itswalls to its delivery outlet 62. 'I'his outlet is controlled by a flapvalve 64. This valve is pivoted for swinging movement upon pivot rod 66.Its actuation will be hereinafter described but the outlet from thehopper discharges onto an inclined track or plane 68 that circles aboutso as tordischarge into the enclosure or tubular wall 18 of an elevatoror conveyor mechanism.

The conveyor mechanism comprises an endless belt I2 mounted at its lowerend upon a drive Wheel 74 which is carried by a drive shaft 16. The beltextends at its upper end over an idler 19. The shaft 'i6 is suitablysupported upon the .frame in bearings provided therefor and carries adrive pulley 18. This drive pulley 18 is driven by a belt 88 from apulley 82, which pulley 82 is mounted upon the same shaft as pulley 84which pulley 84 is driven by a belt 86 from the pulley 88` which ismounted upon the motor shaft alongside of the friction disc |8.

The delivery conveyor belt 12 is provided with ns or lift devices 98secured thereto in spaced apart relationship therealong as shown inFigs. 2 and 4. It travels through the enclosure 18 heretofore mentionedand rides over a supporting wall or sheet 82 shown in Fig. 4. This wall82 is carried by supports 84.

The tokens which are collected in the hopper von the tilting of thetable leaves 58 are held therein by the flap valve 64 until the conveyorlifts or fins 98 arrive in proper position to receive them from theinclined chute 68. The floor of this chute slopes downwardly andinwardly so as- Figs. l and 2 as |88.

`to rest.

and will not arrive at such a time as to clog or jam such n.

This synchronization of movement of the flap valve 64 with the runningof the conveyor belt is accomplished by a trip arm 96 pivoted at 98 uponits support on a part of the frame. This arm is held by a spring |88 tothe position shown in Fig. 2 so that the end of the arm will be inposition to be engaged by each fin 88 as the fin passes thereover. Thearm is tilted by the moving iin against the resistance of the spring |88as shown in Fig. 4. The arm pivot 98 has mounted thereon an arm |82connected by a link |84 with another arm |86, which arm |06 is securedto the end of the nap valve pivot 66 as shown in Fig. 3. This mechanismis so arranged that by virtue of the proper spacing of the ns 98 on thebelt 'I2 the valve 64 is opened to discharge tokens held in the hopperby it onto the chute 68 to be picked up by a 1in when it passestherethrough. l Y

The conveyor lifts the tokens to its upper end adjacent the table 24where they are discharged therefrom onto an inclined chute indicated inThis inclinedA chute extends out to a point adjacent the periphery ofthe disc 24 so that the tokens slide thereover onto the disc 24.

The motor is connected up in a conventional manner with a suitablesource of electric current and a control switch ||8 is provided whichincludes a rheostat so that the motor may be turned off or on and, inaddition, may be speeded up from a slot on position to one ofincreasingly rapid rotation. This structure is1 conventional and is notillustrated in detail. It will b eapparent that through the use of itthe speed of the rotating disc 24 may be regulated and that as a resultof such regulation the rapidity of tumbling andthe impetus of throw ofthe tokens can be varied at will. f y

The receiving table is made up of thetiltable panels or leaves 58 andmay be marked off in a series of blocks or squares as indicated by thelines shown in Fig. 1. These squares may be given different values toindicate different scores depending upon which squares the tokens comepanels may be provided with pockets or recesses ||2. Different valuesmay be assigned to these recesses. The panel 58 whichis immediatelyadjacent the rotating disc has a plate portion ||4 which projects intothe exitv from the rotating disc and has an edge that conforms with thecurvature of the discas shown in Fig. 1 and this plate portion tiltswith the panel as shown in Fig. 2.` This structure vinsures that anytokens thrown from the` disc will be discharged into thehopper. f y

In the operation of this mechanismV any number of players mayplaytogether or one player may operate it alone. Conventional dice maybe used and thrown out upon the tableI and read in the ordinary mannerwithout any attention being paid to themarked 01T blocks or tothe recess|2. On the other hand, balls might bev used and thrown across the tableand given a reading dependingupon which pockety 2 they fell into. Thesepockets would have diierent values. A further -method would be tol havetokens indic-ating other things than the markings on conventional diceand these values-might be read or they might be aggregated with valuesassigned tothe blocks on'.the panels. Tokens .of widely Certain of thesquares or one of the.

varying kind and character may-be employed. u

to many games of this character. and that itmay be set going andcontinued as desiredand that control canibe regulated if andwhenadesiredand that it is capableof. many uses,

The endless conveyorrbelt vI2 with its surround.

ing enclosure 10. and the rotatabletoken deliveringdisc 24 with itssurrounding side walls provides game token conveyingand advancing mech'anism which is power driven and adapted to. con-v vey and advance theplaying tokens from they combination, a rotatable:disc, a table arrangedadjacent thereto to receive game tokens thrown:

01T by the disc in itsv rotationand. a conveyor having an-entranoepositioned to receive. tokens from said table and having adischargepositioned to deliver tokens conveyed thereby upon said disc. 42. Anamusement mechanism comprising, in

combination, a rotatable disc, a table arranged adjacent thereto ytoreceive game tokens Vthrown ofi by the disc in its rotation, saidtablemade up of a plurality'of'tilta'bly supported panelameans operable totilt said panels, a conveyor having an intake positioned below saidtable to receive tokens therefrom upon tilting of the table panels,saidconveyor extending to a point adjacent to saiddisc and having anoutlet adapted to deliver conveyed tokens..

3. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotatable disc,aLtable arranged adjacent thereto to receive gametokens thrown off bythe disc in` its rotation, said table made up of a plurality of tiltablysupported panels', .means operable to tilt said panels, ahopper disposedbelow said table to receive tokens'therefrom on tilting of the tablepanels, said hopper having a discharge outlet, and means controllingthedelivery of tokens through said outlet.

4. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotatable disc,a table *arranged adjacent thereto to receive game-tokens thrown oilbythe discin its rotation, said table madeup cf a plurality of tiltablysupported panels, means operable to tilt said panels, a hopper disposedv'below said table to receive tokens therefrom on tiitingof the tablepanels, said hopper having a discharge outlet, a conveyor having anintake positioned to` receive theV game tokens passing..

through said outlet, said conveyor extending to a point adjacent to therotatable disc and having an outlet-adapted to deliver said tokens uponsaid disc, and means synchronized with the movement of the conveyorcontrollingthe movement of tokens throughsaid outlet.

5.- An amusement mechanism` comprising, in n combination, a horizontallyrotatable disc, wall structure associated-withthe discextending-upwardly thereaboveto prevent game tokens carried by the discfrom leaving the disc, said wall "provided withlan opening affording anexit forgame tokensthrown off'by the disc mits-rota.- tion, a table.positionedadjacent to said. exit to receive game tokens thrown from thedisc through said opening, saidtable consisting of aplurality oftiltably supportedpanels, means. operable to tilt' said panels, ahopper. lpositioned below the table to receive tokens therefromnpon thetilting of .the table panels, .said hopper having a vdis- Y cliargeoutlet; Ya conveyory havingA an.intake ,posi-L tionedT toreceiveifthectokenslpassing, through said-V outlet; saidz'conveyor,extending toa.,point adjacent to-the rotatable disc'and having anoutlet. adapted to deliver the tokens conveyed to saidl disc;

6; An amusement mechanism'y comprising, in, combination, ahorizontallyrotatable disc, inner andiouterr sidewalls associated with said discextendingl upwardlyv thereover, the inner walll positioned .axiallythereof`= and` carried thereby. the fouter wail positioned marginallythereabout,. said outer walllbeing stationary. and having anopeninggproviding an exit for game tokens thrownf on by the disoinits-rotation, a wall extending from saidouter wall adjacent to said exitacross the disctoa p oint adjacent the inner wall,.a

table positioned adjacent to said exit'to receive n gamev tokensthrownffrom the disc, said table consisting. ofiv a plurality ofv.tiltably supported panels, ,means operable to tilt said panels,afhop-f per positioned below the table to receive tokens therefrom uponthe rtilting oi the table panels, said hopper having a discharge outlet,a coneA veyor having-an intake positioned to receive thetokenspassingthrough said'outlet, said conveyor extendingy to a point adjacentto the rotatable disc and having'an outlet adapted to delivery thetokensconveyedto said disc, means operable todrive saidv rotatable discand conveyor, valve means controlling the movementl of tokens throughthe hopper `outlet-onto the conveyor, andY mechanism synchronizingsaidvalve means with the movementothe conveyor.

'7. An amusement mechanism comprising, in. combination, ahorizontallyfrotatable disc, inner and outer sidewalls associated withvsaid discv extending upwardly thereabove, the inner wall positionedaxially` thereof and rotatable there-v with, the outer wall positionedmarginally thereabout,.said outer wall being stationaryfand lhaving 'anopening providing an exit for game tokens thrownoff by. the disc in itsrotation, a` wall extending from said. outer wall adjacent to `saidexitacrossthe disc to a point adjacentthe inner controlling the deliveryof tokens throughsaid.

hopper outletontothe conveyor belt, mechanism synchronizingr the,opening ofthe said valvemeans with thetravel oi-the conveyor, and powermeans. coupled-with-the rotatable discs andwith the conveyorv to drivethem.

8. An. amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, .a horizontallyrotatable disc, inner and outer sidewalls associated with said disc, theinner wall. positioned axiallythereof and rotatable therewith, the outerwall positioned marginally thereabout, said outer Wellbeing stationaryand having an opening providing an exit for game tokens thrown 01T bythe disc in its rotationalwall extending from said outer wall adjacentto saidexit across the disc to a pointA adjacent the inner wall, a tablepositioned adjacent to'. saidleirit. to.' receive game tokens vthrownfrom the disc, saidtable consisting of a plurality of tiltably supportedpanels, means operable to tilt said panels, a hopper positioned belowthe table to receive tokens therefrom upon the tilting of the tablepanels, said hopper having a discharge outletand an endless conveyorbelt provided with spaced apart elevator fins communicating at one endwith the hopper to receive tokens delivered through the hopper outletand communicating at the opposite end with the disc to -deliver saidtokens through a chute to the disc, valve means controlling the deliveryof tokens through said hopper outlet onto the conveyor belt, power meanscoupled with the rotatable disc and with the conveyor to drive them,valve mechanism controlling the delivery of tokens through the hopperoutlet to the conveyor, and means actuated periodically by the movementof the conveyor to actuate said valve means to deliver tokens onto theconveyor.

9. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a horizontallyrotatable disc, inner and outer side walls associated with said disc andextending upwardly thereabove, the inner wall positioned axiallythereof, the outer wall being stationary and positioned marginallythereabout, said outer Wall having an opening providing an exit for gametokens thrown off by the disc in its rotation, a wall extending fromsaid outer wall adjacent to said exit across the disc to a pointadjacent the inner wall, a table positioned adjacent to said exit toreceive game tokens thrown from the disc, said table consisting of aplurality of tiltably supported panels,

".means operable to tilt said panels, one of said tiltable panelsprovided with a portion extending into said exit and terminating in amargin adjacent to said rotatable disc and conforming to the curvaturethereof.

10. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a horizontallydisposed rotatably mounted token tumbling disc, inner and outer sidewalls associated with the disc extending upwardly thereabove and spacedapart radially of the disc defining an approximately annular portion ofthe disc over which game tokens carried by the disc are tumbled duringthe rotation of the disc, said outer side wall being stationary andincluding a circumferential succession of relatively angularly arrangedside wall areas each disposed approximately parallel to a tangent to themargin of the disc, said outer wall being provided with an openingthrough which said tokens are thrown from and by the disc, and a tokenreceiving and viewing table arranged adjacent to the disc and theopening through said side Wall to receive game tokens from the discthrough said opening.

11. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a horizontallydisposed rotatably mounted token tumbling disc, inner and outer sidewalls associated with the disc extending upwardly thereabove and spacedapart radially of the disc defining an approximately annular portion ofthe disc over which game tokens carried by the disc are tumbled duringthe rotation of the disc, said outer side wall being stationary andincluding a circumferential succession of relatively angularly arrangedside wall areas each disposed approximately parallel to a tangent to themargin of the disc, said outer` wall provided with an opening throughwhich said tokens are thrown from and by the disc, and a token receivingand viewing table arranged adjacent to the4 disc and the opening throughsaid side wall to receive game' tokens from the disc through saidopening, said innerv side wall being rotatable with the disc, and asupplemental wall portion extending from an edgeofthe opening throughthe outer side wall across the disc to a point adjacent to the inner.side wall :to direct tokens being tumbled by the disc through saidopening.

12. The invention as denedin claim 10 characterized in that meansisprovided for conveying game tokens from the tab-le back onto the 13.An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a game tokenreceiving and viewing table top provided with a plurality of tiltablysupported table top panels, a hopper positioned below said table toreceive game tokens therefrom upon the tilting of the panels, meansoperable to tilt said panels, said hopper having a discharge outlet,valve means controlling said outlet, and game token advancing mechanismcommunicating with said outlet to receive game tokens therefrom andadapted to advance and throw said tokens onto said table.

14. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a game tokenreceiving and viewing table top provided with a tiltably supported tabletop panel, a side wall surrounding said table top, a hopper disposedbelow said tiltable panel to receive game tokens therefrom upon thetilting of the panel, means operable to tilt said panel,

said hopper having a discharge outlet, game token conveying andadvancing mechanism communicating with said outlet to receive gametokens therefrom and communicating through an opening in the wall aboutthe table to deliver game tokens thereupon, said game token advancingand conveying mechanism adapted to advance game tokens received fromsaid hopper onto said table.

15. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a game tokenreceiving and viewing table top provided with a tiltably supported tabletop panel, a side wall surrounding said table top, a hopper disposedbelow said tiltable panel to receive game tokens therefrom upon thetilting of the panel, means operable to tilt said panel, said hopperhaving a discharge outlet,

game token conveying and advancing mechanism communicating with saidoutlet to receive game tokens from the hopper and communicating throughan opening in the wall about the tab-le to deliver said tokensthereupon, valve means controlling the dischargeof tokens from thehopper to said conveying means, power means coupled with said Valve toactuate the same, said power means coupled with said game tokenconveying and advancing means to advance said tokens received from thehopper and to throw them upon said table top.

16. An amusement mechanism comprisingy in combination, a game tokenreceiving and viewing table top having a tiltably supported top panel, ahopper disposed below said tiltable panel to receive game tokensdischarged therefrom, said hopper having a discharge outlet, game tokenconveying and advancing mechanism including an enclosure extending on anupward incline from said outlet to a point adjacent to the table top,`valve means controlling the discharge of tokens from the hopper to saidconveying and advancing mechanism, power means controlling the operationof said valve and controlling the operation of said conveying andadvancing mechanism to elevate tokens from the outlet of the hopperthrough the enclosure to a level with the table top and to throw saidtokens onto said table top'.

17. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a game tokenreceiving and view- 5 ing table, a game token discharge passageway vcommunicating with the tab-1e to receive game lmeans communicating withsaid discharge pas-` sageway to receive game tokens therefrom and lcommunicating with the table to deliverv game tokens thereto, and meanscontrolling the de-` livery of game'tokens fromsaid discharge passagewayof said gamertoken conveying and advancing means. Y

HARRY C. HANLEY.

JOSEPH A. ROSENBERGrER.k v

